A knuckle-duster wielding thug seriously injured an elderly stranger after setting upon him inside his own home.

Joseph Turner woke Sidney Elliott by ringing all the doorbells in his block of flats in Ramsgate, then attacked him, breaking his nose and two ribs.

The 30-year-old was jailed for two years and 10 months for unlawful wounding and actual bodily harm at Canterbury Crown Court.

A judge told the former bus driver he had “problems with drink, drugs and violence”.

The court heard Turner, a father-of-two, was in the midst of a drinking binge with Terry Gummer in March 2019, when his mood darkened.

Mr Gummer returned home early leaving Turner, who was staying at his flat, with no means of gaining entrance to the communal front door.

Turner rang every door bell until Sidney Elliott, aged in his 70s, answered - his flat being closest to the entrance.

“I still have nightmares from that night..."

Judge Rupert Lowe explained: “He got up to come to the communal door and opened it and made a remark to the effect that it was bloody antisocial to be turning up and ringing bells that late at night, which he was entirely entitled to do.

“You took against that, you didn’t like being spoken to like that by an elderly man.

“You headbutted him without warning, knocking him to the floor and when he is on the floor defenceless you started kicking him and he crawled to his front door.”

The court heard Mr Elliott scrambled for a knuckle-duster inside his home with Turner stalking him from behind.

Turner, who has three previous convictions, saw the weapon and said ‘oh that’s handy’ before arming himself and attacking Mr Elliott.

“By this time Mr Gummer saw the blood on the floor and an injured Mr Elliott - he challenged you,” the judge went on.

“You both went outside, you punched him in the face with the knuckle duster knocking him down too.”

Mr Elliott suffered a broken nose, two broken ribs and cuts over his head and body, Mr Gummer suffered a facial cut requiring surgical glue.

Both men are still adversely affected.

Mr Elliott told the court he still suffers an eye injury and displaced jaw, adding: “Since that night it has made me act and feel much different.”

Mr Gummer continued: “I still have nightmares from that night.

“I have a scar on my jaw which I keep covered up by a beard, even when I’m in 40 degree heat.”

Turner, formerly from Thanet but more recently South East London, denied the attacks and claimed his victims were the aggressors.

But a jury convicted him of unlawful wounding and actual bodily harm, but acquitted him of the more serious charge of wounding with intent.

His barrister Charles Burton said Turner was remorseful, had addressed his drink and drug issues and was now in gainful employment as an engineer in lighting.

He added Turner had “wrestled with mental health issues” and “wanted to make amends” with his victims.

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